Co-opt the public desire for change—This would lead McCain to pick a young or different VP, like Bobby Jindal, Sarah Palin, or Eric Cantor.

Forget politics as usual—McCain could throw a monkey wrench in the works and vow not to seek re-election. Say something like, "Neither I nor my vice president will spend a day, an hour, a minute campaigning or raising money." Pick a non-Republican like Joe Lieberman or Michael Bloomberg, or a non-politician like ex-eBay CEO Meg Whitman.

Party insiders greatly prefer the first two options, but McCain, Kristol reports, is lured by the latter two.